First, and most importantly, we have been lucky enough to have had an array of visitors this past year. We always feel so blessed that, when travelling, friends have taken the time to say 'Hi'. The nomads passing through are from all different parts of our past, including visits from Korean turned Singaporean expat Amanda, East Coast Canadian University friends Haley and Laura, Korean way-gook Melissa, and Tim, a neighbour from Korea. Our time spent together was filled with the most ridiculous conversations, creative sleeping arrangements (as per our studio apartment), and continuous laughs. Living in Kuala Lumpur, we are more on the beaten travellers' path than when we lived in South Korea. It's not that more people we know are travelling, we are just more conveniently located on the maps these days. As travelling through South East Asia can be awesomely different than home, we can speak from experience, that sometimes you need a break from squatter toilets, showering in your flip-flops, etc. We were more than excited to have friends stay with us, offer a hint of 'home-life' and show them some sights in KL as part of the self-dubbed 'MaryTylerMore Standard Premier Tour'. Although returning to these spots repeatedly with friends this year, they never get old. These people are hilarious.
As Laura and Haley left KL and headed for Bali, we thought we would join them for a long weekend. Our friend Hutchy, Tyler and I made the short trip to Gili Trawangan for the second time this year and were in ultimate relaxation mode in record time. I seriously scared myself with how long I could just sit and chill. We took a break from beach lounging to go diving each day, took in the sunsets, had a couple dark, wobbly bike rides home and came back super rested. Both Tyler and Hutchy had been wanting to get a Gopro for the past year, and they finally pulled the trigger! It was a lot of fun taking diving pics and videos, check 'em out!
Since the timeline on this blog post is seriously blurred, let's fast-forward to the now; While wrapping up the school year and all the work that accompanies it, we have remained in KL for the longest stretch this year: 6 weeks. As KL is a city with very limited green space, an often serious smog problem and endless concrete, it's been a bit tough for these two grass/tree/lake loving Canadians. Last weekend we decided enough was enough and went with a couple of friends to the closest beach, Port Dickson. The buzz around town is that Port Dickson is dirty, and not so loved. Although Ty&I had already visited P.D (and enjoyed it), our expectations for the day were low, and we were just happy to stretch our legs beyond the city limits. To our surprise, Port Dickson exceeded all expectations! We set up our umbrella, swam, built sandcastles, enjoyed the pool at a resort and returned home that evening. A perfect day trip and break from the city!
Finally, June 29th marked the beginning of Ramadan, the Muslim month-long time of fasting. While living in Malaysia, where a dominant religion in Islam, I can say that, though it has been culturally informative, it has not really affected our lives....up until this point. So the deal with Ramadan is that Muslims don't eat or drink while the sun is up. They eat before and after. As you can imagine, the moment the sun goes down, the feast is on! In preparation for breaking the fast each night, there is a frenzy of shopping. Each street is lined with miles of food stalls offering curries, fresh fruit juices, noodles, chicken done in a hundred different ways, and desserts. As we have largely favoured Indian and Chinese food up until this point, this has been a great opportunity to try everything Malaysian. We've really gone for it! Since Ramadan has started, we have exclusively eaten Malaysian...and entering into the festive spirit, perhaps indulging in too many Malaysian delicacies. Everything just looks and smells so good! As wonderfully gluttonous as the Ramadan season has been, the major downside is the horrendous traffic that comes with it. As Malays want to shop, cook and be sitting at the set table ready to chow down the minute the sun sets and prayers have been said, traffic and subways have been a nightmare. Add thousands of parched, starving people in tropical heat to the mix, and things can get a bit dicey. With that being said, I seriously commend those fasting for not completely melting down by 6pm. Seriously, ask Tyler what it's like to be travelling around in the heat with me when I haven't eaten for four hours.
After finishing our first of a two-year contract, I've sent my students packing for Grade Two, and Tyler and I are packed to head home to Canada! We've since been in Canada for two weeks, and loving up all the time spent with our family and friends! Thank you to everyone who has welcomed us home :)